Today we had three programs around and in San Salvador. The first program was in one of the most dangerous places surrounding San Salvador many kids came out and they were extremely open to prayer. We prayed for sickness and salvation. One little girl burst into tears after we prayed. As anywhere that we'll be working the community had many needs. We were in the country and the houses are made of tin roofs and dirt floors. The streets have no names and garbage lines the edges of the dirt roads while sewage runs through the middle. The kids shirts are dirty with many holes and they're considered lucky if they have a pair of dollar store flip flops to wear. But let me tell you that I have met some of the most incedible soccer players despite their footwear.
The faces of the children are etched into my mind especially the last glimpse of them as we drive away. Keep praying for me and my team. So many kids are being reached and we only expect more. We're willing to go through evvery situation imaginable if it means we can reach one more child.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
It's not for nothing
It's another street ministry day and I'm on the bus right now headed to the city of San salvador.
I know that over the next couple weeks you most likely will read some entries from me that might not make sense to you but I want to explain why I'm here and some of the reasons that I keep coming back.
If you have talked to me in person before I'm sure I have told you story after story of some of my experiences of being overseas but I don't come here just to provide the stories they come along with the mission.
Words can't explain my surroundings or the tears on my face when a child that doesn't know love refuses to let go of my waist as I'm forced to get on the bus and leave just to watch them chase us through the streets as we drive away. But I'll do the best that I can to explain the situation here.
Gangs control El Salvador not the kind of gang you would find in the US but imagine every neighborhood having one. Zones here would be our neighborhoods and between the zones you would experience gang retaliation on a daily basis. Gangs get their money by making known their presence in an area. Small shops and companies such as buses are required to pay a fee to the gangs for "protection." So they get money by threatening communities and if you dont pay up they will kill you.
Between the guerilla wars and gang retaliation (as of two years ago) 80 percent of the population was under the age of 21. Many kids are orphans working and living on the streets raising siblings and trying to find some food. Last year I watched out the window as children chasesd a garbage truck to get the food that people threw out. Full on sprint of a group of kids.
So many of these kids don't have parents, they don't have food, or a home. Gangs start recruiting at the age of 7. The older guys hang out with the boys and teach them gang signs and invest time with them so the kids have a sense of a family, they get money from the gang system and can support their families and siblings. In return they become a member of the gang which is a life long commitment. And the pattern continues. The girlfriends of the gang members are susceptible to any member of the gang that wants to use her but in return she is protected and financially supported by the gang.
The pattern continues day after day unless someone steps in to change it. Its Injustice at it's finest.
Kings castle ministries started in the 1980s with a vision to reach the children of el Salvador before they were recruited into gangs. They started to break the pattern by doing street ministry. Programs specifically designed for kids to tell them that Jesus loves them and to bring hope through the gospel. They had feeding programs and churches planted. They go out and bus the kids to church. They showed them that gang life isn't the only path to take.
So I am here. These are the kids that I am working with. It is not easy, I don't get a good nights sleep, I am dirty, i am sick and exhausted the majority of the summer, I always seem to get bit by something haha but I wouldn't trade this for any amount of money. If I could live everyday of my life for the rest of my life like yesterday it wouldn't be long enough.
I'm not risking my life for nothing, im no better than the kids living on the street, theres no difference we all have the same heart and were created for the same purpose. I know Gods protecting me but Im not going to sugar coat any of the experiences that I have here. You may never find yourself on the streets of el salvador but I want to give you a glimpse of reality that these children face everyday.
I know that over the next couple weeks you most likely will read some entries from me that might not make sense to you but I want to explain why I'm here and some of the reasons that I keep coming back.
If you have talked to me in person before I'm sure I have told you story after story of some of my experiences of being overseas but I don't come here just to provide the stories they come along with the mission.
Words can't explain my surroundings or the tears on my face when a child that doesn't know love refuses to let go of my waist as I'm forced to get on the bus and leave just to watch them chase us through the streets as we drive away. But I'll do the best that I can to explain the situation here.
Gangs control El Salvador not the kind of gang you would find in the US but imagine every neighborhood having one. Zones here would be our neighborhoods and between the zones you would experience gang retaliation on a daily basis. Gangs get their money by making known their presence in an area. Small shops and companies such as buses are required to pay a fee to the gangs for "protection." So they get money by threatening communities and if you dont pay up they will kill you.
Between the guerilla wars and gang retaliation (as of two years ago) 80 percent of the population was under the age of 21. Many kids are orphans working and living on the streets raising siblings and trying to find some food. Last year I watched out the window as children chasesd a garbage truck to get the food that people threw out. Full on sprint of a group of kids.
So many of these kids don't have parents, they don't have food, or a home. Gangs start recruiting at the age of 7. The older guys hang out with the boys and teach them gang signs and invest time with them so the kids have a sense of a family, they get money from the gang system and can support their families and siblings. In return they become a member of the gang which is a life long commitment. And the pattern continues. The girlfriends of the gang members are susceptible to any member of the gang that wants to use her but in return she is protected and financially supported by the gang.
The pattern continues day after day unless someone steps in to change it. Its Injustice at it's finest.
Kings castle ministries started in the 1980s with a vision to reach the children of el Salvador before they were recruited into gangs. They started to break the pattern by doing street ministry. Programs specifically designed for kids to tell them that Jesus loves them and to bring hope through the gospel. They had feeding programs and churches planted. They go out and bus the kids to church. They showed them that gang life isn't the only path to take.
So I am here. These are the kids that I am working with. It is not easy, I don't get a good nights sleep, I am dirty, i am sick and exhausted the majority of the summer, I always seem to get bit by something haha but I wouldn't trade this for any amount of money. If I could live everyday of my life for the rest of my life like yesterday it wouldn't be long enough.
I'm not risking my life for nothing, im no better than the kids living on the street, theres no difference we all have the same heart and were created for the same purpose. I know Gods protecting me but Im not going to sugar coat any of the experiences that I have here. You may never find yourself on the streets of el salvador but I want to give you a glimpse of reality that these children face everyday.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Las delicias
Today broke my heart, first day of ministry and we were in the most dangerous community in all of el Salvador everyday someone is murdered the kids have stories that could break any person they see dead bodies all the time and they tell Kristal the different ways the gangs cut up the bodies to warn other people the pastor that we worked with was insane him and his wife work in the zone and they didn't have a car so they would have to walk back at night and he would be scared to walk back through the community with his wife because the gangs would rape her. She told him not to hold back because of her and if she was to die to keep on going to reach the kids without her. A man came up to the pastor one night and said im going to kill you i was paid 50 dollars to kill you my boss doesnt like what you are doing in our community. The pastor replied not if i kill you first. The man looked confused and the pastor finished saying not if i first kill you with Love of Christ. After a while of standing there the man said I have been trying to kill you but something is stopping me. He concluded by saying someone is protecting you and left into the night that was 6 years ago now. Their saying in the morning before the pastor would leave to work there would be "today is a good day to die" his stories made me cry and once we prayed for the kids ahhhh it was insane most of the kids were praying for a parent who is an alcoholic and abuses them it was so messed up. Before kings castle got there no one wanted to go into that zone the people used to live in cardboard boxes and the kids would terrorize anyone who came in the girls would say they wanted to grow up and have as many boyfriends as their mothers had and the fathers weren't real fathers but alcoholics. Kings castle started their first church there in the 80s and now the community has their own programs and teams from the community.
It's so sad here. It's so messed up! Please continue to pray for the chdren of el salvador
It's so sad here. It's so messed up! Please continue to pray for the chdren of el salvador
San Salvador
Today is our first day of street ministry! We worked the last week learning dramas and skits to reach the children and now we're finally ready. I was bit by something the other night and have been sick the past couple days but good news it wasn't deadly. I am perfectly fine now! We finished "bootcamp" last night and my team and I are looking forward to these next couple weeks. Please keep us in prayer! I can't wait to tell you about all the children we meet!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
El Salvador
I made it to el Salvador safely on Friday. The Internet has been a little bit sketchy so I'm sorry for not being able to blog. My team and I have been training for the coming weeks at the beautiful lake campus that is located over looking a volcano crater lake. So far it is going great! We're in "boot camp" right now that will last three more days. The reason for this is to get prepared for the vigorous schedule and travel that we'll be experiencing. This includes 6am runs, time for reading the word, and practicing different dramas and programs that will be used for reaching the children.
Day 1 I lost my water bottle and iPod touch thankfully I found both throuh out the day :)
I'm pretty sure we have bed bugs here due to the red blotches on my legs. No worries mom it's not Mosquitos but thanks for the 3 things of bug spray you snuck into my bag hah! There hasn't been a case of malaria around the camp.
Right now I'm on a bus into the city of San Salvador to go to the big tent church. Many people go to this church and the church is actually like it sounds a tent. It has dirt floors and folding metal chairs but don't let the description of the outward appearance fool you. Gods presence is there and the people are desperate for Him and they are not ashamed to show it. There's so many times that I find myself in the US distracted while in church it makes me hunger for the simple jungle church services that meet in a structure that's barely standing with one audio speaker and a common man playing an old guitar while singing his heart out to God with the congregation in tears singing their hearts out with the same passion. I find myself with them not even understanding the words but in unity with them feeling Gods presence.
Next week we leave for another location in el Salvador we'll most likely stay on the floor of the church so I'm pretty sure I won't have Internet. But I'll keep you updated as much as I can!
Day 1 I lost my water bottle and iPod touch thankfully I found both throuh out the day :)
I'm pretty sure we have bed bugs here due to the red blotches on my legs. No worries mom it's not Mosquitos but thanks for the 3 things of bug spray you snuck into my bag hah! There hasn't been a case of malaria around the camp.
Right now I'm on a bus into the city of San Salvador to go to the big tent church. Many people go to this church and the church is actually like it sounds a tent. It has dirt floors and folding metal chairs but don't let the description of the outward appearance fool you. Gods presence is there and the people are desperate for Him and they are not ashamed to show it. There's so many times that I find myself in the US distracted while in church it makes me hunger for the simple jungle church services that meet in a structure that's barely standing with one audio speaker and a common man playing an old guitar while singing his heart out to God with the congregation in tears singing their hearts out with the same passion. I find myself with them not even understanding the words but in unity with them feeling Gods presence.
Next week we leave for another location in el Salvador we'll most likely stay on the floor of the church so I'm pretty sure I won't have Internet. But I'll keep you updated as much as I can!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Summer 2011 El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras
It has been a while since I last blogged, reading over some entries from last summer makes me even more excited for my next venture. This year I will be traveling to 3 countries in 6 weeks. I fly out of Newark Friday morning at 6. Once I arrive in El Salvador my team and I will meet for the first time and we will have a couple days to get to know each other. From there we travel... alot! Please keep me in your prayers. Most of the time I will not have internet but I ill update you as much as I can. I will be using an ipod touch to type so spare me if my entries are a little short haha. I can't wait to tell you about this summer! I can't thank you enough for your support!!
-Bri
-Bri
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